Mountain West splits 12 football schools into six-team divisions

Jan. 22, 2013
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The Mountain West Conference will split it 12 football schools into two six-team divisions, the "Mountain" and the "West." Boise State, which went 11-2 in 2012, will be in the Mountain Division. / Brian Losness, USA TODAY Sports

by Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

by Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

The Mountain West will split into two six-team divisions and create a conference championship game to reflect its new 12-member alignment, one created with the addition of two teams from the Western Athletic Conference and Boise State and San Diego State's decision to remain part of the league rather than join the Big East.

After adding Nevada, Fresno State and Hawaii from the WAC for the 2012 season, the Mountain West will add San Jose State and Utah State in 2013. Boise State and San Diego State left to join the Big East last year before opting this month to return to the Mountain West.

The conference will call its two divisions "Mountain" and "West," splitting members along geographic lines. Each team will face five opponents from its own division and three cross-divisional games annually, with the rotational sequence and matchups developed using computer scheduling models. The divisional splits:

Mountain Division

Air ForceBoise StateColorado StateNew MexicoUtah StateWyoming

West Division

Fresno StateHawaiiNevadaSan Diego StateSan Jose StateUNLV

Seven current Mountain West teams â?? including Utah State and San Jose State â?? reached the postseason in 2012, and three (Boise State, Utah State and SJSU) won 11 games. The Broncos are 19-0 since 2002 against its five fellow members of the Mountain Division and 60-4 over the same span against the league's 11 other members.

The Mountain West will also add a conference championship game pitting the winners of the Mountain and West divisions. This year's game will be on Dec. 7 at the home stadium of the divisional winner with the highest BCS ranking.